Merchant Shipping Act 1894

Pilotage Certificates for Masters and Mates.

599 Grant of pilotage certificates to masters and mates.

(1) A pilotage authority may, if they think fit, on the application of the master or mate of any ship, and on payment by him of the usual expenses, examine him as to his capacity to pilot the ship of which he is master or mate, or any one or more ships belonging to the same owner as that ship, within any part of the district of the pilotage authority.

(2) A pilotage authority, if on examination they find that any master or mate is competent, shall grant him a certificate (in this Act referred to as a pilotage certificate), specifying—

(a) the name of the person to whom it is granted :

(b) the ship or ships in respect of which it is granted:

(c) the limits within which the master or mate is entitled to pilot the ship or ships : and

(d) the date on which it is granted.

(3) The person to whom a pilotage certificate is granted shall, while he is acting as master or mate of any of the ships specified in the certificate, be entitled to pilot that ship within the limits, specified in the certificate, without incurring any penalty for not employing a qualified pilot.

(4) A pilotage certificate so granted shall not be in force for more than the period of one year from its date, but may be renewed from year to year by an endorsement under the hand of the secretary or other proper officer of the pilotage authority who have granted the certificate.

600 Appeal by master or mate to Board of Trade.

(1) If it appears to the Board of Trade upon complaint made to them—

(a) that a pilotage authority have without reasonable cause refused or neglected to examine a master or mate who has applied to them for the purpose ; or

(b) that a pilotage authority have without reasonable cause refused or neglected to grant a pilotage certificate after examination; or

(c) that an examination of a master or mate has been unfairly or improperly conducted ; or

(d) that a pilotage authority have imposed unfair or improper terms or conditions on the granting of a certificate; or

(e) that a pilotage certficate has been improperly withdrawn from the holder thereof,

the Board of Trade, if the circumstances of the, case appear to them to require it, may appoint persons to examine the master or mate, and, if he is found competent, grant him a pilotage certificate upon such terms and conditions as they think fit.

(2) The pilotage certificate so granted shall contain the same particulars, be of the same effect, and be in force for the same period as a certificate granted by a pilotage authority, and may be renewed either by the pilotage authority of the district, or if the Board of Trade think fit by that Board, and the renewal, if it is granted by the Board of Trade, shall be endorsed on the certificate by some person appointed by the Board of Trade for the purpose, and, if it is granted by a pilotage authority, shall be endorsed on the certificate in the same manner as in the case of certificates of pilotage originally granted by them.

601 Withdrawal of certificate.

The Board of Trade or a pilotage authority, as the case may be, may respectively withdraw any pilotage certificate granted by them if it appear to them that the holder thereof has been guilty of misconduct or has shown himself incompetent to pilot his ship, and a certificate so withdrawn shall cease to be of effect.

602 Fees for pilotage certificates.

(1) Masters and mates shall pay such fees upon the granting and renewal of pilotage certificates as—

(a) in the case of certificates granted or renewed by a pilotage authority may be fixed by that authority with the consent of the Board of Trade:

(b) in the case of certificates granted or renewed by the Board of Trade may be fixed by that Board, provided that they are not less than the fees paid by qualified pilots in the same district in respect of the granting and renewal of licenses.

(2) The fees so received by a pilotage authority in respect of certificates shall be applicable to the expenses of and incidental to the examinations for the certificates and to the payment of such charges in connexion with the preparation and renewal thereof as may be approved by the Board of Trade, and the surplus (if any) shall be applied for the benefit of the Pilots Superannuation Fund of the port or district (if any), or otherwise for the benefit of the qualified pilots of the port or district to which the certificates apply in such manner as the pilotage authority may think fit.

(3) The fees received by the Board of Trade in respect of pilotage certificates shall be applicable to the expense of the examinations for those certificates, and the surplus (if any) shall be applied for the benefit of the qualified pilots of the port or district to which the certificates apply in such manner as the Board thinks fit.